Federal Supreme Court adjourns hearing on Shabab Al Manara terrorist group to 20, 27 December and 3 January

Abu Dhabi, December 9, 2015 (WAM): The State Security Division of the Federal Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing of the case of the terrorist group Shabab Al Manara to 20th and 27th December 2015 and 3rd January 2016, to allow the lawyers to present their defence. During its session yesterday, the Court presided over by Judge Mohammad Al Jarrah, heard the Public Prosecution which asked for maximum punishment for the defendants. Forty-one men are on trial charged on several counts including plotting to carry out terrorist attacks through setting up of a terrorist group with takfiri ideology under the name 'Shabab Al Manara' to carry out terrorist acts to endanger the safety and security of the country and the lives of individuals, including the leaders and symbols of the country, with the intention of causing damage to the state and private infrastructure, seizing power and changing the ruling system through the establishment of a self-proclaimed "caliphate" based on their extremist ideology and convictions. Other counts include bringing in firearms, ammunition and explosives with the intention of carrying out terrorist acts to damage the security and interests of the state, raising funds and channelling them to terrorist organisations to help them in achieving their terrorist goals, preparing firearms, ammunition and explosives to achieve their goals, in addition to communicating with foreign terrorist organisations and supplying them with funds and recruits to achieve their goals inside the country. The defendants also supplied terrorist groups with funds to help them to achieve their goals against a foreign state, which would endanger it and lead to cutting diplomatic relations with it. The prosecution said three of the defendants were being tried in in absentia. The terrorist group helped three of the defendants to join foreign terrorist organisations outside the UAE. They also created and ran electronic sites and used IT technology to promote the ideology of the terrorist organisation (Shahab Al Manara) and spread information that would damage the national unity and social peace and undermine public order. They also used unlicensed radio communication devices. In the previous session, defendant M.M.A. confessed to all charges while other defendants denied all of the charges. The defendants, including one who was bailed out by the court for health reasons, appeared in court in person, along with defence lawyers and family members, and representatives of the UAE media. – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395288993913.html